Recipe by Kristen Sullivan

• 2 tsp yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
• 3 1/3 cups all purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 Tbsp Rosewater
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 3 egg yolks

Mix yeast and warm water, and let sit so that the yeast can react. The yeast should begin to foam.

Mix dry ingredients together.

In a small saucepan, heat milk, rosewater, butter, and egg yolks. Be careful not to let the eggs cook and become solid.

Mix yeast/water with dry ingredients. When thoroughly incorporated, mix in milk/egg mixture until a dough is formed.

Knead dough, then cover, and let rise about an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Punch down the dough and form into the desired shape (one or two braided loaves, rolls, etc.). Again, cover and let double in size.

Bake bread at 350 for about 20 minutes. (If making rolls, you may need to adjust the time.)

Source [Di Messisbugo, Christoforo Libro Novo: Venice: 1557, Reprinted Bologna: Arnoldo Forni, 1973]: Pani de latte e Zuccaro di Oncie noue lÕuno. Fatto che hauerai la tua Sconza, o leuaturo, pigliarai di fiori di farina burattata libra. 35. e tanto meno, quanto meno sera quella di che haurai fatto il leuaturo, e libra.6.di Zuccaro ben bianco, e Torli dÕUova. 75. e libre .3. dÕAcqua rosata, e libre .6.di latte fresco, e oncie.6 di butiro fresco, e impatarai in tuo Pane avuertirai bene, che lÕacqua, o latte non scottaasse, e faraiÊanchora che Torli dÕUova suian caldetti, &, li scalderai, ponendoli nell acqua calda, e li porrai, il conveniente sale, e farai la pasta, si che non siane dura, ne tenera, ma piu tosto chÕhabbia del saldetto, e la gramarai molto bene, e poi farai il tuo pane, e lo lasciaraiben leuare, e lo cuocerai con grande ordine, si che non pigli troppo fuoco, ma che a tuo Guiditio stiabene, e questo pane e piu bello a farlo tondo, che intorto, o in pinzoni, sia dopoi piu grande, o pui picciolo, come tu vorrai: ti governerai adunque secondo questo modo, che provato.

Source [Di Messisbugo, Christoforo Libro Novo: Venice: 1557, Master Basilius Phocas, OL]: Bread of Milk and Sugar Each One Nine Ounces To first make fifty breads of milk and sugar of nine ounces each. Having made your yeast froth or yeast you will take thirty five pounds of the flower of wheat sifted, and a much less amount, so that it will be enough to have made the yeast, six pounds of good white sugar, and 75 egg yolks, three pounds of rose water, and six pounds of fresh milk, and six ounces of fresh butter, and you will mix your bread, you will note well that the water or the milk does not scorch, and you will make certain the egg yolks are to be warm, and you will scald them, putting in the hot water, and you will put suitable salt, and you will make the dough, so that it is not hard or tender, but more hard than you would have it firm, and you will knead it very well, and then you will make your bread, and you will leave it to rise well, and you will cook them with serious method so that they do not take too much fir, but that at your very good judgment and this bread is made more beautiful by making them round, that twist or in buns, then they can be made larger or smaller, whatever you will want: you will govern yourself to one according to the way it is proven.

The original recipe and its translation were taken from Mistress Rachaol Makrieth's paper on this same recipe.

© Copyright 2008 Kristen Sullivan